Wiser Than Yesterday: Educational Book Reviews and Summaries

The High Growth HandbookGlobal technology executive, serial entrepreneur, and angel investor Elad Gil has worked with high-growth, tech companies like Airbnb, Twitter, Google, Stripe, and Square as they've grown from small companies to global enterprises.Across all of these breakout companies, a set of common patterns has evolved into a repeatable playbook that Gil has now codified in High Growth Handbook. In this definitive guide, Gil covers key topics, including:* the role of the CEO* managing a board* recruiting and managing an executive team* mergers and acquisitions* initial public offerings* late-stage fundingInterspersed with and informed by interviews with some of the biggest names in Silicon Valley including Reid Hoffman (LinkedIn), Marc Andreessen (Andreessen Horowitz), and Aaron Levie (Box), High Growth Handbook presents crystal-clear guidance for navigating the most complex challenges that confront leaders and operators in high-growth startups.TakeawaysAvoid the three things that kill early-stage companiesFailing to find Product/Market Fit. PMF is much rarer than most people imagine. The best signal is the ability to raise prices repeatedly without losing customers.Co-founder conflicts. Problems arise when there is a lack of clarity on decision making, product vision, and overlapping founder roles. A startup's main advantage is speed: conflict eliminates the advantage. If you can't work together, one of you should leave.Running out of cash. Every business will make errors as it develops; cash on hand provides a margin of safety.Shift from product focus to distribution focusAs companies grow, individual products become less important, and focus has to shift towards the distribution of multiple products. The most successful companies have powerful distribution engines.About the authorElad Gil, an entrepreneur, operating executive, and investor or advisor to private companies such as Airbnb, Coinbase, Checkr, Gusto, Instacart, OpenDoor, Pinterest, Square, Stripe, Wish. He is cofounder and chairman at Color Genomics. Elad was the VP of Corporate Strategy at Twitter, where he also ran product (Geo, Search) and operational teams (M&A and Corporate Development). Elad joined Twitter via the acquisition of MixerLabs, where he was co-founder and CEO. Elad spent many years at Google, where he started the mobile team-involved in all aspects of getting it up and running. He was involved with three acquisitions (including the Android team) and was the original product manager for Google Mobile Maps. Prior to Google, Elad had product management and market-seeding roles at a number of Silicon Valley companies. Host rating for 'The High Growth Handbook'NicoRating: 4/10SamRating: 7/10Subscribe!If you enjoyed the podcast please subscribe and rate it. And of course, share with your friends! Don't Forget to leave a comment on this episode See podvine.com/privacy-policy for podcast listener privacy info. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Messy middle by Scott BelskyMost startup stories describe the most romantic parts of a venture, from starting in a garage or college dorm to successfully doing a multi-billion dollar IPO. Scott Belsky, who is a bestselling author, entrepreneur, Chief Product Officer at Adobe, and product advisor to many of today's top start-ups, goes about it differently. He dedicates this book to the messy middle, the middle stretch, which is the least talked about, but probably the most important part of any venture. The book is broken into 3 sectionsEndure the roller coaster of successes and failuresOptimize what’s workingFinish strongSam and Nico's ratingsSam - 6/10Nico - 6/10 Don't Forget to leave a comment on this episode See podvine.com/privacy-policy for podcast listener privacy info. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Hard thing about hard thingsA valuable book for tech entrepreneurs, The Hard thing about hard things helps throw light at the challenges a CEO goes through. Ben Horowitz launched Loudcloud in 1999, just before the dotcom bubble. Their company offers enterprise SaaS to tech clients. Then the trouble began* Because of the dotcom bubble, many of their customers went out of business* Had to IPO to survive, during hard times* After going public, they pivoted to become OPSware, a radically different business* They got threatened to delist from NASDAQ* They had mass employee revoltsIn the end, he sold OPSware for 1,6B to HPHost rating of 'The Hard thing about hard things'NicoRating: 6/10SamRating: 6/10Subscribe!If you enjoyed the podcast please subscribe and rate it. And of course, share with your friends! Don't Forget to leave a comment on this episode See podvine.com/privacy-policy for podcast listener privacy info. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Lean Startup by Eric RiesA startup is a grand experiment = "a human institution designed to create a new product or service under conditions of extreme uncertainty"Too many startups begin with an idea for a product that they think people want. They then spend months, sometimes years, perfecting that product without ever showing the product, even in a very rudimentary form, to the prospective customer.Scientific management has been used to optimize processes at the beginning of the 20th century (ford automobiles). It is now used to optimize building the right product, instead of building the product as efficient as possible Don't Forget to leave a comment on this episode See podvine.com/privacy-policy for podcast listener privacy info. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Shoe Dog is a memoir by Nike co-founder Phil Knight. The memoir chronicles the history of Nike from its early struggles to its evolution into one of the world's most recognized and profitable companies. It also highlights certain parts of Phil Knight's life.This book is a great insight into the world of business and how a huge company and brand is made from humble begginings. It highlights the amazingly stressful and difficult trials of an entrepreneur and the mistakes and lessons along the way.We learn a lot about history and about what makes a good CEO. Don't Forget to leave a comment on this episode See podvine.com/privacy-policy for podcast listener privacy info. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We (Sam and Nico) look back at what we read on the show in 2020.We both choose our top three books from the year that we discussed on the show and share what the biggest lessons were that really stuck with us. Looking back with hindsight at the most powerful lessons was a great tool to really show what the absolute best books were which can be less obvious in the moment.We also had one wildcard book each that we read outside of the show but was really worth a mention.The top listJoint first(Yes - we both had the same favourite book)Why Buddhism is True - Robert WrightWe both highly agreed this was the worst title and the best book. So many lessons on how to just be a more content human not at the mercy of uncontrollable and incessant thoughts.Goodreads info (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32895535-why-buddhism-is-true)Joint second(Yes - we both had the same favourite second book)Antifragile - Nassim N. TalebEpic book on how to gain from disorder and find strength in setbacks.Goodreads info (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13530973-antifragile)Nico's Number 3Elephant in the BrainHow we lie to ourselves about our own motives to fit in better socially, and where this trips us up.Goodreads info (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28820444-the-elephant-in-the-brain?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=kq41Gyh0Zm&rank=1)Sam's Number 3- On the Shortness of Life - SenecaHow time is the only finite resource a human has and yet spend it so frivously on the wrong things to acquire things of less importance. A guide on how to live and seek true purpose.Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/97412.On_the_Shortness_of_Life?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=YaNk4JuYNz&rank=3)Nico's WildcardHumanKind - Rutger BregmanHow humans have truly innate goodness and co-operation built into them and why this is the story of our success.Goodreads info (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52879286-humankind?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=29UE0BFGDE&rank=3)Sam's WildcardSiddartha - Herman HesseThe life story of a rebel and seeker of purpose and happiness. A beautiful tale about the flow of life and the lessons we need to learn by ourselves and what is most important to value.Goodreads info (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30141085-siddartha?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=kDtcIrbjkv&rank=1)An epic year and we're super excited for all the reading in 2021. Any suggestions for the show or books that were your favourite last year let us know! Don't Forget to leave a comment on this episode See podvine.com/privacy-policy for podcast listener privacy info. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Written in Greek by the only Roman emperor who was also a philosopher, without any intention of publication, the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius offer a remarkable series of challenging spiritual reflections and exercises developed as the emperor struggled to understand himself and make sense of the universe.While the Meditations were composed to provide personal consolation and encouragement, Marcus Aurelius also created one of the greatest of all works of philosophy: a timeless collection that has been consulted and admired by statesmen, thinkers and readers throughout the centuries. Don't Forget to leave a comment on this episode See podvine.com/privacy-policy for podcast listener privacy info. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Stoic writings of the philosopher Seneca offer powerful insights into the art of living, the importance of reason and morality, and continue to provide profound guidance to many through their eloquence, lucidity and timeless wisdom.Throughout history, some books have changed the world. They have transformed the way we see ourselves—and each other. They have inspired debate, dissent, war and revolution. They have enlightened, outraged, provoked and comforted. They have enriched lives—and destroyed them.Sam and Nico breakdown "On the Shortness of life" and contemplate the shortness of their own lives and the priorities that really matter. Don't Forget to leave a comment on this episode See podvine.com/privacy-policy for podcast listener privacy info. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The RepublicWhere Plato lays down his ideas of an ideal state and its rulers. Plato's Utopian state is one which is just and his ideal rulers are philosophers. Presented as a series of dialogue between Socrates and Plato's brothers Adeimantus and Glaucon, in eleven parts Plato step by step forms his ideal state (Part I and II), its rulers (Part IV and Part VII), their education, women's position (Part VI) and the position of art and poetry (Part X) in the new state.Plato’s ideal republic;No democracy3 classesArtisans, merchants and farmersGuardiansRulers - philosophers (could best judge what was in the interest of the community through their training) ### The noble liePeople have souls of Gold, Silver and Brass/Iron (myth rulers would teach citizens) educators would keep track of natural abilities/virtues (Wisdom, courage, Discipline), so people can be assigned the right roles. Justice is the 4th virtue, and is the balance between all citizens. Don't Forget to leave a comment on this episode See podvine.com/privacy-policy for podcast listener privacy info. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

EpicurusEpicureanism is powerfully and refreshingly relevant, offering a straightforward way of dealing with the issues of life and death. The chapters in this book provide a changeable of contemporary opinions about Epicurus' teachings.Key to happiness:Don't fear godDon't fear deathWhat is good is easy to getWhat is bad is easy to endureThis doesn't mean Epicururs pleaded for overindulgenceHe made a hierarchy of desiresNatural and necessary desiresNatural and non-necessary desiresVain desiresNatural and necessary desiresNatural desires have a natural limit (food)2 types of pleasure:Moving pleasure: the act of eatingStatic pleasure: the contentment being satisfied after a nice meal Static pleasure: the absence of needs or wants -> the best pleasureEpicurus was celibate and lived with followers. He was also more focused on friendship as opposed to romance.Natural and non-necessary desiresEx. Luxurious foodNormal food will bring static pleasure in the same way luxurious food doesVain desiresPower, fame, extreeme material wealthThese are unnatural and based on opinion, what society makes us think we needThere is no afterlifeIt is pointless to not enjoy this life to be able to enjoy the nextDeath is not bad for neither the living, nor the dead, and we shouldn’t fear itRemind ourselves of the shortness of life, do not postpone happiness Don't Forget to leave a comment on this episode See podvine.com/privacy-policy for podcast listener privacy info. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.